Page 53 of Santa's Pucking Hat Trick

He flushed, looking down at Ellie for a second before meeting my gaze again. “Yeah, actually.”

Now I was intrigued. “Let it out, bro.”

He leaned in closer to the camera, his voice dropping to a whisper. “I’ve got a girlfriend.”

I blinked in surprise, a slow grin spreading across my face. My little brother was old enough to date all of a sudden. I could have sworn he was still playing dinosaurs with his friends on the playground. “You do?”

Max nodded, his cheeks turning even redder. “Her name’s Jenna. She’s…she’s amazing, Roman. Like, really smart and funny. And pretty.” He fumbled with his words, looking away as if he couldn’t quite handle saying it all out loud.

I chuckled, shaking my head. “That’s great, dude. I’m happy for you.”

It was weird, seeing my little brother all lovestruck like that. It hit me out of nowhere—this must be how I looked when I talked about Rachel. That same goofy, smitten expression. The thought caught me off guard. When did I start feeling that way about her? About any woman?

Max looked back at the screen, his nervousness fading now that he’d gotten his secret out. “You’d like her. She’s smart, but she doesn’t, like, talk down to you or anything. And she’s into sports too, which is cool. I mean, she doesn’t watch hockey, but I think I can get her into it.”

“Sounds like a keeper,” I said with a grin. Then, on a whim, I added, “I’ve been seeing someone too.”

Max’s eyes widened in surprise. “You? Really?”

“Yeah. She’s … well, she’s smart, sarcastic.”

“Sounds like you,” Max countered. I laughed.

“Maybe. And she’s into cars, which is pretty awesome.”

Max tilted his head, a curious glint in his eyes. “Wait, cars? Like, she’s actually into them, not just pretending?”

“Yep. Knows more about engines than I do. She’s quite a woman.”

“Whoa,” Max said, his tone full of admiration. “She sounds awesome. So…you’re happy?”

The question hung in the air for a second, and I realized that, yeah, I was happy. I hadn’t really let myself think about it too much, but being with Rachel made me feel lighter and heavier at once. Full of genuine joy that I’d never let myself experiencebefore, always keeping things so surface level. This feltdeep.But it wasn’t boring, or unappealing in any of the usual ways.

“Yeah,” I said, smiling. “I am.”

Max gave me a grin, one that looked almost relieved. “Good. You deserve it, man. Mom and Harry don’t know how lucky they are, but I’m glad someone knows that you’re great. And not just on the ice.”

His words hit harder than I expected, and I had to swallow back the sudden lump in my throat. “Thanks, Max.”

For a moment, there was just silence, the kind that wasn’t uncomfortable but more like a shared understanding. I glanced down at the empty takeout containers on my table, my mind spinning with thoughts of Rachel. Of the way her smile made my chest feel tight, or the way she’d lean in closer when she was teasing me, like it was some kind of private joke only we got.

And then it clicked. I didn’t just want to be with Rachel for now, didn’t want to leave all of this in the past the way I did with previous affairs—I wanted her for the long haul. Every part of her, body and soul. And weirdly, it didn’t freak me out. I was ready for it. Ready for her.

But it wasn’t just about me. There was Sawyer and Wes too. They were part of this, part of us. A real team, just like we were with the Santas. Maybe we could make something real out of it. Something that lasted.

“Hey, I gotta go, buddy,” I said, clearing my throat as I tried to shake off the sudden intensity of my thoughts. “But I’ll talk to you later, okay? Happy Thanksgiving. I’m thankful for all of you.”

Max nodded, still smiling. “Yeah, same here. Love you, Rome. And tell your girlfriend hi from your favorite brother.”

I laughed, shaking my head. “Will do.”

As soon as I ended the call, I sat there for a minute, staring at my phone. The realization that I wanted Rachel long termwasn’t just some passing thought—it was solid, something I couldn’t ignore anymore. I picked up my phone and opened up the group chat I had with Wes and Sawyer. I didn’t know exactly how this would play out, but I had a plan forming. And whatever happened next, I knew one thing for sure.

I was all in.

29

WES

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